Description of
Hedychium spicatum:
It is an annual perennial herb growing to 1.5m by 0.7m. It has a
horizontal root- stock, and tuberous rootfibres, leaves are 30
cms or more in length. Inflorescence is spiked. Flowers
ascending and dense yellow coloured. It bears flowers in
October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (has both male and female
organs). Capsule is globose

Traditional uses:
Its rhizome is used for treatment of asthma and internal injury.
Powder of rhizome is used as an antiseptic agent and as poultice
for various aches and pains. The rootstock is carminative,
emmenagogue, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. It is
useful in the treatment of liver complaints, and is also used in
treating fevers, vomiting, diarrhoea, inflammation, pains and
snake bite. The root is used in Tibetan medicine, it is said to
have an acrid taste and heating potency. It is digestive,
stomachic and vasodilator. It is used in the treatment of
indigestion and poor circulation due to thickening of the blood.

Phytochemistry:
The dried rhizome of the plant contains essential oil, starch,
resins, organic acids and a glycoside; albumen and saccharine
are also present. The essential oil has ethyl ester of p-methoxy
cinnamic acid, d-sabirene cineole, sesquiterpenes and
pentadecane methyl paracumarine acetate. It contain, ß-sitosterol
and its ß-D-glycoside.

Pharmacology:
In preliminary pharmacological studies the drug is found to have
a vasodilatory effect on coronary vessels, mild hy-potensive
property and a non-specific antispasmodic effect on smooth
muscles. Studies on the essential oil of the rhizomes of
Hedychium spicatum reveal that these oils possess a mild
tranquilizing effect of short duration. They depressed the
conditioned avoidance response, rotarod performance and
potentiated pento-barbitone hypnosis and morphine analgesia in
rats. The crude ethanolic extract of rhizomes possesses
anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity. The anti-inflammatory
activity was mainly localised in the hexane fraction from which
1% of pure active constituent was isolated. The analgesic
activity was more prominent in the benzene fraction. Some other
minor active constituents were also present which may contribute
to the total activity of rhizomes.

The root stalk is useful in local inflammations, nausea, asthma,
bronchitis, hiccups and in pain. The rhizome of the plant is
said to be carminative, stimulant and a tonic. It has been
described as useful, specially as an antiasthmatic agent.
Clinical trials have been conducted in tropical
eosinophilia,with promising results. It counteracts had mouth
taste and smell.